WASHINGTON – Newbie 2004 wannabe Wesley Clark took heavy flak at a Democratic debate last night, as presidential rivals blasted the retired general for Iraq flip-flops and past praise of President Bush.

Front-runner Howard Dean pointedly noted that Clark – now running as an Iraq-war critic – publicly urged a congressional candidate to vote in favor of the resolution to authorize it exactly a year ago.

“I would never have voted for war,” insisted Clark, who had an awkward night as he tried to explain why he has said at various times that he’d have voted both for and against the war.

“I must say that I’ve been very disappointed since Wes Clark came into this race about the various positions he has taken on the war against Saddam Hussein,” zinged Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.)

Struggling to get above the fray, Clark insisted: “I’m not going to attack a fellow Democrat.”

Lieberman retorted: “Welcome to the Democratic presidential campaign. Look – none of us are above questioning.”

Clark also defended his effusive praise for President Bush and his “great” team at a May 2001 GOP fund-raiser by saying: “I could still have hope in early 2001 that this administration would learn its lesson.”

Sen. John Kerry (Mass.) had the funniest line, quipping that one way to get cheaper prescription drugs is “you can hire Rush Limbaugh’s housekeeper” – a dig at reports that’s how the radio star got opiates illegally.

But it was the most contentious debate so far and front-runner Dean also took heat for backing Medicare cutbacks and proposing sharp cutbacks in prescription drugs for poor seniors as Vermont governor in 2002.